The
energy in the room was electric

A GROUP of “high
powered” physicists and climate experts from across Australia met with some of
their Highlands counterparts in Berrima recently to talk about clean energy
solutions.

Highlands resident Rob Parker said the group, comprised of experts
concerned about lack of action on climate change matters, met at the Stone Room
to discuss clean energy methods to overcome climate change and ways to reframe
public debate on the issue.

Mr Parker said
the group was focused on clean energy alternatives that would not hinder
industry or the Australian economy, but maintain and even enhance it.

“Much of the
issue around climate change matters is that most of our carbon dioxide is coming
from large industrial processes, agricultural processes and our transport sectors
and our big hitters which do not really lend themselves to renewables.

“This has been
known for some time which is why we don’t see any change.”

The group
included Highlanders Frank Moore and Philip Walker as well as physicists and
climate specialists from across Australia such as Don Higson, Ben Heard, Tony Irwin,
John Harries, Martin Nicholson, Geoff Russell and John Morgan.

“It’s about
giving society the constancy it needs to develop but not nail it to the floor
to achieve it.”

The group, which
included a number of members of the Australian Nuclear Association, discussed
provision of nuclear power by Small Modular Reactors that could be placed
underground.

“You can’t fly a
plane into it, you can’t blow it up, it just sits underground,” Mr Parker said.

“In pure economic
terms, it probably doesn’t stack up right now, but we’ve got to change.

“For a country
like Australia, they’ve got a heck of a lot going for them. We could go down
the conventional route of other types of reactors but these have got advantages
for people who are concerned about terrorist threats or things like that.”